The Best Credit Cards of 2019

Updated September 3, 2019

We’ve updated the rate and marketing information in this guide.

The best credit card is the one you’ll get a lot of use out of and reach for in your wallet time and again. There is one card (or maybe more) that will be the best fit for your situation at this moment in time—and we’re here to help you find it.

There is no single best credit card, just as there is no best tool. You don’t want to hammer a screw, or screw in a nail.

The same principle applies to plastic. No one card gives you both the best cash-back earnings and the most travel rewards. No one card helps you pay back your debt and lets you stroll into an airport lounge gratis. No one card helps you establish credit and offers the overlooked things that can bring you joy, such as a concierge service to help you find a great restaurant in Budapest.

Note: On July 29, Capital One—which offers two of our picks in this guide—announced a data breach that affected up to 100 million customers in the US. Compromised information included Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and other personal information. For more details on the data released and the actions you can take as a consumer, see our blog post about the event.

Best cash-back credit cards

You should get a cash-back credit card if you want an easy rewards credit card experience, where everything you buy earns a rebate, and you can redeem your trove as a direct deposit into your bank account or statement credit.

What we don’t love

Product details have been collected independently by Wirecutter and are accurate as of 6/24/2019. Learn More.

Citi Double Cash Card

Why we like it: This is the set-it-and-forget-it option. You receive a solid cash-back rate on everything you buy and then pay off, so you don’t have to remember when and where to use it. Your rewards are easy to redeem; finagling with rewards portals isn’t necessary. The Double Cash has fewer bells and whistles than some of its competitors, but it’s a workhorse in your wallet, netting 2% back on everything you buy (1% when you make the purchase and 1% when you pay it off).

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The Double Cash has a 3% foreign-transaction fee. This isn’t the card you turn to if you’re traveling abroad.

Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card

Why we like it: No card we researched gives you the chance to earn a higher cash-back rate, but you’ll have to jump through some narrow hoops to earn it. You can receive a rate of 3.71%, according to Wirecutter calculations, if you have $100,000 in a qualifying Bank of America/Merrill Lynch account. And remember: Although the Bank of America Premium Rewards Credit Card is marketed as a “travel” card, you can redeem any points you receive as cash into your eligible Bank of America/Merrill Lynch bank or investment account. We said there were hoops, but it can be worth the effort.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: This card has a $95 annual fee. Also, you need to either have $100,000 in a qualifying Bank of America/Merrill Lynch account or be willing to shuffle that much into one in order to qualify for the top cash-back rate (which may be accessible only to the very lucky few).

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Why we like it: Consider this card if you’re ready to move on from your basic card, but your credit profile doesn’t get you one of our other picks—either you’re just not experienced enough with plastic for the banks’s liking, or you’re recovering from some credit challenges. This card is advertised to customers with average credit (which, as Capital One defines it, means you’ve had credit for less than three years or you’ve defaulted on a loan once in the past five years), and it will net you a rate of 1.33% per Wirecutter calculations.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: With the $39 annual fee, you’ll need to spend $2,600 annually on the QuicksilverOne® to earn enough rewards to break even. The QuicksilverOne® also imposes a very high APR on purchases, so you should make sure to avoid carrying a balance.

Best travel rewards credit cards

You should get a travel rewards credit card if you're constantly on the go and want to earn free flights and travel (that you're not limited to using with one airline or hotel), and want access to nice perks like airline lounges to take the sting out of flying.

What we don’t love

Apply now for this Partner Offer on American Express’s secure website.

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Foreign-transaction fee: none

Why we like it: The Reserve® burst onto the scene in 2016 with huge perks—and a gigantic annual fee to match. A few years later, the sign-up bonus has been halved, and there’s a bevy of improved competitors.

But the Reserve® remains the best, most flexible travel rewards card thanks to the numerous ways you can earn bonus points (so much counts as travel, including your subway ticket, Lyft and Uber rides, and tolls on bridges and highways) and how you can put those points to work (no blackout dates, so you can use your points to fly home for the holidays, and your points are worth 50% more when you redeem them through Chase’s travel portal). The annual $300 travel credit is both generous and easy to earn, especially if you’re always on the road, or if you hook your Reserve® up to your Uber or Lyft account.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: You’ll have to spend $4,000 in your first three months after opening your account to earn the 50,000-point sign-up bonus (which may be a bridge too far for many folks). You’ll also need to put in some elbow grease to justify the $450 annual fee. On top of that, transferring points to one of the Reserve’s travel partners can be challenging and time-consuming if you want to get the most value out of your points.

PenFed Pathfinder Rewards American Express Card

Foreign-transaction fee: none

Why we like it: The Chase Sapphire Reserve’s $450 price tag, no matter the rewards, may be too rich for your blood. Or maybe you want to pair a travel card with a cash-back card you already have in your wallet, or you know you’re not the kind of person who will spend hours maximizing your spending and rewards redemption to come out ahead. If that sounds like you, consider this new, no-annual-fee card from PenFed. No other card will net you more rewards without charging a fee for your trouble, and you’ll also get a handful of those nice perks (TSA Pre✓/Global Entry and airline fee credit) that the premium cards crow about. And even if you don’t use this card as much as you hope for travel, it charges no foreign-transaction fee, so it’s still a solid companion for traveling abroad.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: You need some kind of military association to become a PenFed member. If that’s not you, consider alternative ways to get through the door, including paying $17 to become a member of Voices for America’s Troops.

The Platinum Card from American Express

Why we like it: The Platinum® card was designed to tickle your frequent-flyer fancy.

A generous welcome bonus—which you earn after you spend $5,000 within three months of receiving the card—coupled with unparalleled bonus points when you book a flight or hotel, gives the Platinum® an edge over the Chase Sapphire Reserve® on airline spending. You simply need to fly a lot to take advantage.

And those are just the miles. The Platinum® opens the door to a diverse choice of airport lounges, including the much-heralded Centurion Lounges. You can also frequent Delta Sky Clubs (if you buy a Delta ticket with the card) and Priority Pass lounges.

Also great are two other benefits: up to $500 in travel credits (see below for the nitty-gritty) and American Express’s universally acclaimed customer service.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: American Express gave its premium travel card a face-lift after the Chase Sapphire Reserve® burst onto the scene in 2016—and it’s still not the best card for all travel spending. You have to play by Amex’s rules to earn the maximum points, including booking your flight directly from the airline or through the American Express Travel portal. You also have to book your prepaid hotels through the portal to earn five points per dollar spent.

And you earn only one point per dollar spent on dining, unlike with many other premium travel cards. Although the Platinum’s travel credit can net you up to $500, it does so only after you jump through some hoops. For instance, you must select a particular airline for your airline-fee credit, and the $200 annual Uber credit comes in $15 monthly installments (and $35 in December, presumably for the holidays). Life is much simpler with the $300 from the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.

Amex EveryDay

Why we like it: Many people think they can pay down their balance transfer during the intro balance-transfer period—but in our research, we found this often isn’t the case. If you’re sure you can create a pay-down plan and stick to it, the Amex EveryDay is one of our favorites. You receive 15 months of no interest on your transferred balance, and you don’t pay a fee if you transfer the debt within 60 days of opening your account. The card’s spending perks—such as 2x points at US supermarkets up to $6,000 in purchases each year—make it a decent option to keep it in your wallet after you’ve paid off your debt.Flaws but not dealbreakers: Generally, you choose a balance-transfer card to help you pay down debt, not to earn rewards. So if you think you might be tempted to spend with the card while you’re still working on paying down an IOU, consider our other no-balance-transfer-fee picks.

BankAmericard Credit Card (18 months)

Why we like it: Sometimes it’s worth paying a fee up front if it gives you an extra few months (or billing cycles) of 0% interest to pay off your debt. The BankAmericard gives you 18 billing cycles of 0% APR if you make your balance transfer within 60 days of opening your account. It has no spending rewards, and even if you have to use it in a pinch, that’s okay, because it offers 0% APR on purchases for the first 18 billing cycles, too.Flaws but not dealbreakers: All else being equal, we advise you to go with a card that gives you an option to transfer a balance without paying a fee, and to rearrange your budget. Still, that may not be feasible, especially if you find yourself in a bind.

SunTrust Prime Rewards Credit Card

Why we like it: Whereas most balance-transfer cards cluster around a set of predictable terms (3% fee with 18 months of 0% interest, for instance), the Prime Rewards offers something different: You pay no balance-transfer fee when you move your debt, but interest kicks in immediately. That interest rate, though, matches the prime rate (currently 5.25%) for 36 months. After that a higher rate kicks in. No card we looked at saves you more on interest and fees if you need all of the card’s three-year intro APR period to pay down your debt.Flaws but not dealbreakers: The trade-off on this extended balance-transfer period is that you owe more than on other cards if you need less than about 30 months to whittle down your balance since there’s no 0% APR period. And if you need more than three years, the higher interest rate will ramp up what you owe.

Product details have been collected independently by Wirecutter and are accurate as of 8/29/2019. Learn More.

Annual Fee

$0

Regular APR

16.99% - 25.74% variable

Intro Bonus

$200

Recommended Credit

Good to excellent

Why we like it: The Chase Freedom Unlimited® comes with a 15-month period of 0% interest, giving you ample time to pay off a big purchase. Couple that with the card’s intro bonus ($200 if you spend $500 in your first three months) and you have a pretty sweet deal.

We also like this card because it won’t revoke your promotional rate if you miss a payment (fairly common practice with other 0% APR cards). But keep in mind that a late payment can have a serious negative effect on your credit—plus, Chase will require you to pay a late fee.

After the 15-month interest-free period ends, this card still has power: There’s no annual fee, and you receive unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, making this a card you may want to keep in your wallet for years to come.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Although the 15-month interest-free period is among the longest of any cards we reviewed, you can find even better offers if you want more time to pay your debt (our other pick, the HSBC Gold Mastercard, gives you 18 months to pay your debt, interest-free).

Also, the Chase Freedom Unlimited has a 3% foreign-transaction fee, so don’t reach for this card for your foreign adventures.

Annual Fee

$0

Regular APR

14.99% - 24.99% variable

Intro Bonus

N/A

Recommended Credit

Excellent/Good

Why we like it: BankAmericard is refreshingly free of bells and whistles—what it does offer is a long time (18 billing cycles) for you to pay down your debt interest-free. That was among the longest 0% interest promo periods of all the cards we reviewed (our other pick, the Chase Freedom Unlimited, offers 15 months).

Those 18 billing cycles can give you breathing room and the flexibility to repay your debt in smaller increments.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The lack of bells and whistles (no rewards, no intro bonus) and a 3% foreign transaction fee mean that this is a card that’s strictly worth using for the 0% APR period—other cards, including the Chase Freedom Unlimited, can deliver long-term value on your spending. If you close your card after your debt is repaid, it can hurt your credit—but it will give you one less card to manage.

If you want to pay off a purchase over time, interest-free

If you find yourself caught with an unexpected expense, such as a trip to the emergency room or a broken car transmission, 0% APR cards can be a lifesaver in allowing you to repay your debt over time, interest-free. They can also provide a cash cushion if you’d rather not dip into savings to fund an expense such as a home remodel or summer vacation.

But before applying for a card with a 0% APR offer, here are some questions to ask:

Is your credit score at least good—a FICO score of 700-plus (PDF)? These cards can be tough to get approved for.

Do you have a repayment plan? Calculate the monthly payments you need to make to fully repay your debt before the interest kicks in. Some experts recommend that you try to pay it off even faster than the promo period: If you can, funnel any extra cash you get—such as a tax refund or (if you’re paid biweekly) the third paycheck in the two months of the year that you get three paychecks—toward your debt.

Will an offer like this tempt you to live beyond your means? You have to repay your debt eventually, so don’t get this card if you’ll be tempted to buy things you don’t have a plan to pay for.

Best credit cards for groceries

You should get a credit card for groceries if you typically spend about $100 on groceries a week, and the card's rewards rate on groceries is considerably higher than 2% cash back, the standard rate if you have very good or excellent credit.

The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express

Why we like it: The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express helps you save money on some of the more quotidian aspects of modern life. You receive 6% cash back at US supermarkets—the highest cash-back rate on any grocery card we reviewed—on up to your first $6,000 in spending (then the rate drops to a much-less impressive 1%).

You also earn 3% at US gas stations, so it’s a useful card to pull out at the pump, too. Recently, Amex added another 3% cash-back rewards category for transit, which includes parking, tolls, trains, subway tickets, and rideshares, as well as 6% back on more than 20 major streaming services, such as HBO Now, Netflix, Pandora, and Spotify.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Beyond paying a $95 annual fee, you have to accept some limitations on how many rewards you can earn. The 6% rewards rate is capped at your first $6,000 in purchases per year (you earn only 1% after that), and it applies only to certain US supermarkets (warehouse stores such as Sam’s Club and Costco are excluded, as are Walmart and some other superstores). Although you can swipe this card at your local cheese shop or corner store, you’ll get only 1% back.

Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Signature Card

Why we like it: Whether you’re buying produce at Whole Foods or a new TV on Amazon, this card gives you 5% cash back on all eligible purchases at both retailers (excluding things you buy on international Amazon retail sites such as Amazon.co.uk, merchants using Amazon Pay, and some Amazon-owned sites like Audible). You also receive a $70 Amazon.com gift card in your Amazon account as an intro bonus once you’re approved.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: To apply for the card, you must have Amazon Prime membership, which typically costs $119 annually. And you’ve probably heard the phrase “Whole Paycheck”: Although Amazon’s 2017 acquisition of Whole Foods Market led to a price drop on some products, a 2018 Morgan Stanley price study found that the grocery store’s selection is still 13% more expensive than that of the average supermarket, which means you may still end up spending more on groceries there than at other, cheaper supermarkets—even factoring in the savings you earn from the 5% back.

Target RedCard Credit Card

Why we like it: This card has a simple redemption structure if you shop at Target. No points portals or transfers needed—just an instant 5% off at checkout. Although 5% isn’t as high as the Blue Cash Preferred’s 6% offer, you don’t have to pay an annual fee and there’s no spending cap, so you could still come out ahead.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: You can use this card only at Target, so you’ll almost certainly want another credit card in your wallet for your other purchases. And if you don’t anticipate paying off your balance each month, this card likely isn’t for you: The variable purchase APR on this card is 25.15%, versus the national average APR in January 2019 of 17.51%, according to CreditCards.com.

How much you earn if you spend $6,677 annually (about $140 weekly) on groceries

$271.77

$333.85

$333.85

Best credit cards for dining

You should get a dining rewards credit card if you spend at least $100 per week on dining. Not only do you earn enough in rewards on dining spending to justify the effort that goes into managing another card, but some dining cards also offer other perks such as travel rewards, online streaming credits, or airline lounge access.

What we don’t love

Product details have been collected independently by Wirecutter and are accurate as of 8/8/2019. Learn More.

The best overall dining card: Uber Visa Card

Why we like it: The Uber Visa Card offers 4% on purchases at restaurants, which is an exceptionally high rate especially for a credit card with a $0 annual fee. Beyond the restaurant rewards, you earn 3% on travel, and if you spend $5,000 on your card in one year, you get a $50 subscription statement credit that applies toward a handful of online subscription services such as Netflix, Pandora, and Instacart.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Perhaps the biggest flaw of the card is the brand associated with it. Uber was named one of America’s 20 Most Hated Companies in a 2018 report by financial news site 24/7 Wall St., alongside other companies such as Equifax, Trump Organization, University of Phoenix, and The Weinstein Company. This card also doesn’t deliver amazing rewards on actual Uber rides—you get just 2% back on your Uber rideshare payments.

If you also frequently travel: Chase Sapphire Reserve

Why we like it: For starters, you earn 3x points for every dollar you spend on travel and dining expenses. But it gets even better: Your points are actually worth 50% more if you redeem them through the Chase travel portal (effectively turning 3x points into 4.5¢). On top of that, you earn a bevy of perks ranging from a generous and easy-to-earn $300 travel credit to airport lounge access to reimbursement of your TSA Pre✓ or Global Entry application fee every four years.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The card’s massive $450 annual fee can be tough to stomach. Unless you spend well above the average American household on dining and travel, you can earn more in rewards value with our top dining pick, the Uber Visa Card, given that card’s $0 annual fee.

The best alternative to the Uber Visa Card, if you don’t want to pay an annual fee: SavorOne Rewards from Capital One

Why we like it: This card, which has a $0 annual fee, offers 3% back on dining. Although that rate is less than the 4% that the Uber card offers, the SavorOne℠ Rewards has a bonus category that the Uber card doesn’t: entertainment. If you love the idea of dinner and a movie, this card offers 3% back on movie tickets as well as a variety of other entertainment spending, including concerts, sporting events, theme parks, zoos, and bowling alleys.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: If your goal is to get a card that offers maximum cash back on dining with a $0 annual fee, you can do better. Among our other $0-annual-fee recommendations, the Uber Visa Card offers 4% on dining, and if you’re a Bank of America®/Merrill Lynch®/Merrill Edge® account holder, the Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card offers rewards bonuses depending on the size of your account balance.

About 100 million Capital One customers are affected by a data breach announced in July. Here are some things you can do to help manage your fraud exposure.

Our pick if you are (or are willing to become) a Bank of America/Merrill account holder: Bank of America Cash Rewards Credit Card

Why we like it: If you want the very best cash-back rate on dining, and you’re okay with tying up a lot of cash with Bank of America, the Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card can offer as much as 5.25% back on dining purchases. If you are a Bank of America®/Merrill Lynch®/Merrill Edge® account holder, and your three-month average combined balance is at least $20,000, you earn 3.75% cash back on dining. If it’s more than $100,000, you qualify for the maximum, 5.25% rate.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The only way to earn more than 3% on dining with this card is to have at least $20,000 in Bank of America®/Merrill Lynch®/Merrill Edge® accounts. And to get the very best rate, you need $100,000, which is highly unrealistic for most people.

Our pick if you’re a Costco member: Costco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi

Why we like it: You earn 3% on dining, which is good, but not great. But here’s where this card really shines: at gas stations. You get 4% on gas anywhere (not just Costco gas stations) for your first $7,000 per year in purchases (after that, you earn just 1%). You also get 3% back on travel, plus no foreign-transaction fees.

If you want a solid all-around card that rewards dining, gas, and travel, this card is a workhorse if you don’t already have another gas or travel card.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The most bizarre part of the Costco card is that it’s not actually great for earning rewards at Costco (you earn just 2% on all eligible purchases from Costco). That’s decidedly average and about equal to what you’d earn with our best overall cash-back card, the Citi® Double Cash Card. And although this card has no annual fee, you must be a Costco member to apply, which typically costs $60 per year.

Best business credit cards

You should get a business credit card if you want to separate your company’s spending from a personal account while also earning extra rewards. But don’t just look at the rewards—we like cards that have no annual fee, as well as those that offer some flexibility with credit limits and financing charges.

Slide 1 of 3

Best cash-back business credit card

What we love

This is a simple, yet powerful, card for your typical small-business owner. You can control employee spending, connect directly to QuickBooks to manage your expenses, and potentially spend above your credit limit should you ever need to.

What we don’t love

While simplicity is a virtue, other no-annual-fee cards offer higher cash-back rewards on specific spending categories (such as Internet access).

Product details have been collected independently by Wirecutter and are accurate as of 9/6/2019. Learn More.

Best business credit card for cash back: American Express Blue Business Cash Card

Why we like it: This is the most well-rounded option of the nearly 90 cards we surveyed. You earn a decent amount of cash-back rewards without having to pony up an annual fee. There’s an ample 0% intro period on purchases, in addition to possible access to a higher temporary credit limit if you have a particularly expensive month. Amex is also known for its great customer service.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: We found little dents in the armor—a number of restrictions chip away at what you can get. The 2.7% foreign-transaction fee is a bit frustrating, while the spending cap on 2% bonus rewards makes the card less appealing to enterprises that spend a ton.

Best business credit card for travel: Ink Business Preferred Credit Card

Why we like it: This is the best option for small-business owners eager to bring down the cost of flying to and fro. We bent our annual-fee ban for this card since the Ink Business Preferred℠ offers a trove of intro points and ongoing rewards on every dollar you spend on an airplane or hotel. One point is worth an extra 25% when you use it in Chase’s travel portal, which means the intro bonus can net you travel worth $1,000 and a travel dollar spent goes for 3.75¢. You can also transfer your points to a partner loyalty program (such as that of United) to potentially earn even more value.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Although we made an exception for this card’s $95 annual fee, we’re not thrilled that it exists. Likewise, the card has no intro 0% APR intro period, and Chase didn’t score all that well on J.D. Power’s satisfaction survey.

Discover it Business Card

Why we like it: Banks may factor in your personal history with credit, as well as your business’s fundamentals, when they review your application. If your credit score is good but not excellent (think of a FICO score closer to 700 than to 740 or so), consider this pick. We appreciate its simplicity: You earn 1.5% on everything you buy, and Discover doubles your first-year rewards as a kind of intro bonus. There’s no annual fee, you get a 12-month 0% intro period for all purchases, and the card has no foreign-transaction fees. In addition, Discover slightly bested Amex for the top prize in J.D. Power’s most recent credit card satisfaction survey.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: This card isn’t the best overseas companion because Discover isn’t as widely accepted abroad as Visa or Mastercard, and although the reward structure is easy to understand and remember, it’s also less bountiful than those of rivals. You can decide whether the trade-off is worth grabbing this card.

2% cash back on eligible purchases on up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1%.

A travel rewards card with a huge intro bonus and 3x points on up to the first $150,000 on select categories, including travel.

A flat-rate cash-back card with 1.5% back on all purchases; first-year rewards are doubled as a kind of welcome bonus. Consider this as a beginner small-business card.

Best secured credit cards

You should get a secured credit card if you’re hoping to start building credit with your first card or recovering from an earlier credit setback. Think about it as a stepping stone to improved financial health and better cards in the future if you use it responsibly.

Best secured card if you're new to credit: Discover it Secured

Why we like it: Do you have a short credit history, or none at all? If so, the Discover it® Secured could put you on the path to what you really want: building up your credit score so you can get approved for a better credit card. Discover automatically reviews your account after eight months of your being a cardholder to see if you qualify to upgrade to an unsecured card (the product that comes to mind when most people think of the words “credit card”) and get your deposit refunded. This might not sound revolutionary, but many secured cards don’t give you the opportunity to upgrade to an unsecured account.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Your deposit won’t earn interest. Sure, the interest you stand to earn on, say, a $500 deposit over a year is a couple of bucks, but it’s the principle: If issuers are holding on to your money, the least they can do is let it earn some interest. Also, the 24.99% variable purchase APR is one of the highest we saw during our research.

Why we like it: Unlike many credit card issuers, State Department Federal Credit Union (SDFCU) doesn’t run income or credit checks to determine if you're eligible for the card, making this a good bet if you’re struggling to get approved for other cards.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: SDFCU was created by and for employees of the US Department of State. If that’s not you, joining the credit union is still possible, but it takes a bit of hoop-jumping; one way to do this is to become a lifetime member of the American Consumer Council, which costs $15. Additionally, SDFCU may run a hard inquiry to verify your identity when you apply to become a member. Hard inquiries can knock a few points off your score, so it can be a blow if your score is on the low side.

What we don’t love

Product details have been collected independently by Wirecutter and are accurate as of 6/24/2019. Learn More.

Best overall student credit card: Discover it Chrome for Students

Foreign-transaction fee: none

Why we like it: Students and young people frequently run into the credit catch-22: You have to prove to banks you’re able to handle one of the premier rewards cards (usually by having a credit card) before they’ll let you qualify for one. This means you need a card with training wheels—one that provides enough protections so you can learn the basics of credit without getting into trouble.

The Discover it® Chrome for Students offers useful educational tools (including text alerts when you use up a preset amount of your credit limit), and it’s generally forgiving of early credit mistakes (you won’t be charged for your first late payment). Be sure to use the Discover Scorecard feature to monitor your credit score; when your score nudges past 720, it’s probably time to consider a proper rewards card.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The Discover it® Chrome for Students doesn’t charge a foreign-transaction fee, which is great—but if you take your card abroad, you might find that vendors won’t accept it, which kind of defeats the purpose.

Best student credit card for abroad: Bank of America® Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students

Foreign-transaction fee: none

Why we like it: Since Visa, this card’s payment platform, is more broadly accepted than Discover, this card is the better option for students who are traveling or studying abroad. Foreign travelers can also take advantage of the app’s location-tracking feature, so you don’t need to inform Bank of America it was you who bought that baguette.

But the Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students is also useful for learning credit basics, thanks to text alerts about when you need to pay your bill or how much of your credit is available. We’re also fans of the live chatbot; robots haven’t yet taken over the world, but they can help you schedule payments, send money to friends, and tell you how much your account balance is.

Flaws but not dealbreakers: The Travel Rewards Credit Card for Students isn’t as forgiving of a first-time credit user’s mistakes as our top pick is. Just one late payment can lead to Bank of America instituting a 29.99% penalty APR on your account—and the rate can stay that high indefinitely for new purchases.

Best student credit card for those with no credit history: Petal Visa Credit Card

Foreign-transaction fee: none

Why we like it: The Petal card is for people who don’t have a credit history but do have a bank account with positive cash flow (you have more money coming in—whether from a part-time job or from parents—than going out). Petal can analyze your bank accounts to determine whether you’re likely to repay your debts.

Petal’s sleek phone app has useful tools, such as the option to set your full payment as the default (rather than the minimum payment, which can leave you paying more in interest than you may have intended).

Flaws but not dealbreakers: Handing over access to your bank account history is unconventional, and may not sit well with some folks. Although you don’t have to hand over your bank account info, Petal uses that as its primary criterion for applicants who don’t otherwise have a credit history.

Petal says it doesn’t store your login information and uses a third-party data provider to connect securely to your accounts, but you should assess whether you’re comfortable with going down this route.

Why you should trust us

A plethora of sites review credit cards and other financial products, and many of those sites put their own financial interests first. We don’t do that. We exist to recommend the best products to help you live a better life.

In some cases, if you click on a card in one of our guides and you’re approved for the offer, we’ll make money—but those commissions never influence our reporting, our writers, or our editors. And we’ll never make a penny from some of our top picks (for example, the Uber Visa Card, our pick for the best dining rewards card) because we independently found them to be the best regardless of any business relationships. Like all of Wirecutter, we maintain editorial independence from our business operations.

You may not know this, but many sites prominently feature only those credit cards that pay them a commission. We don’t. Our editorial team analyzes most major cards or products (and some not-so-major ones) in a category. (We researched more than 100 cards for our guide to the best balance-transfer cards.)

When you go to a competitor’s site, you’ll often see a never-ending scroll of “best picks.” Many of these publishers charge the banks more money to get their offers higher on the page. Banks have no influence on where we place a card in our guides. You won’t find a “Best Metal Card” in any of our guides, or any such thing that doesn’t matter to you.

Sometimes, banks allow sites to make money off only one version of a card’s offer. For instance, a bank may pay sites a commission only if they highlight a 12-month balance-transfer offer, while offering 15 months directly on its own website. The offers we review and recommend are the best in class, given our research and expertise, whether we get paid or not.

We don’t believe these principles are revolutionary, but they are necessary for us to be able to say that a particular credit card is “the best.”

How you can work out which credit card is right for you

Looking for a new credit card can be a headache. You might not know what you want, or you may not fully understand what’s being sold to you. And that’s okay: A lot of people don’t.

But there are some questions you can ask yourself to work it out.

If you’re looking for a travel rewards card

To help suss out what type of rewards person you are, we asked Ron Lieber, Your Money columnist for The New York Times (Wirecutter’s parent company), for guidance. After all, as reported in The Wall Street Journal (subscription required), $9 out of every $10 spent with a credit card in the US is on a rewards card.

Lieber recommends answering a few questions to hone your thinking.

Do you want the best rewards rate possible, or do you want a card that will get the job done without too much effort?

Do you care about all the extra perks (such as lounge access and the best possible travel insurance), or are you looking to get in and out of an airport as quickly as possible?

Are you willing to pay hundreds of dollars in an annual fee if you receive the best travel card? Or does that number cause your stomach to turn?

In a 2017 Experian and Edelman Intelligence survey, more than half of respondents said they didn’t want a card with an annual fee, perhaps worrying they wouldn’t use their high-priced card as designed and would end up throwing $450 down the drain. Nearly a third of credit card holders, after all, don’t even redeem the rewards they earn.

You want to take advantage of every opportunity to make getting from A to B more enjoyable.

You spend a bunch on travel (such as on airfare and hotels, and even parking garages) and eating out. You should also plan to go on a decent number of trips each year to take advantage of the card’s perks: If, say, you travel only once a year internationally, you need to spend a fair chunk on that trip to make this card potentially worth your while.

If you don’t want to mess around with a huge annual fee but you’re keen to start earning some travel rewards, want no foreign-transaction fees, and fancy getting a credit for your TSA Pre✓/Global Entry fee, go with the PenFed Pathfinder Rewards American Express® Card.

If you don’t really travel at all (or spend very little on that) but still want to be rewarded for using your credit card, you may be better off with one of our cash-back picks.

If you want a cash-back card

Does a simple cash-back program make you happier than having to finagle reward points to pay for travel?

Are you willing to pay an annual fee for the best cash-back rate?

Do you want the same cash-back rate on everything you buy?

If you’re looking for an easy-to-use, easy-to-understand cash-back card, go with the Citi® Double Cash Card. You’ll earn 2% back on everything you buy when you pay off your bill, and you’ll never have to think about your card again.

If you want to get rid of credit card debt

If you think you’re in a position to get a handle on your debt and you’re not looking for ways to delay repayment, a card with good balance-transfer terms can help you get back on track. But how can you choose the right one?

This comes down to one simple question: How long do you need to pay it off?

The trade-off goes something like this: You take your debt from a credit card that’s charging you high interest and put it on a new card offering an introductory period of 0% (or low interest) for a typical stretch of 12 to 18 months. Most cards charge you a fee for this service (generally 3% to 5% of the debt).

So you have four considerations when you want to move a debt:

a fee to move the debt (known as a balance-transfer fee)

the length of 0% interest on your transferred debt

the interest, or APR, you’ll owe on whatever debt remains after the intro period ends

how long you think you’ll take to pay it off

That last part is the most important factor—you’ll owe a lot less in interest the faster you can pay off your debt. We did the work of analyzing 117 cards with balance-transfer offers, and we picked the best option if you think you’ll take less than two years: the BankAmericard®. We are currently reevaluating our pick if you think you need more than two years.

Note: If you’re a revolver (you tend to carry a balance from month to month), you shouldn’t apply for a credit card to alleviate your debt spiral. In fact, you may not want to spend with a credit card at all. Research shows that consumers tend to spend more with credit than they would have otherwise with cash, while many folks struggle to save enough cash to cover an unexpected $400 expense.

That’s a potentially damaging combination. Yes, credit cards are more convenient than cash, and in some cases (such as renting a car), you’re required to present plastic. But ultimately, credit cards can be worse for your financial health if you consistently carry debt. If that’s you, consider using a balance-transfer card only to pay off your existing IOU and then go back to cash.

If you want a secured card

Before applying for a secured card, here are some questions you should ask:

Do you have money (typically at least $200) to tie up as a security deposit? It may take several months at least before you’ll get that money back.

Can you commit to spending only small amounts on the card (think $50) each month and ideally pay that off in full every billing cycle? Secured cards generally come with low credit limits (as low as $200), and spending too much of your credit limit can hurt your score. This ends up being counterproductive if you’re focused on building credit.

Can you get approved for an unsecured product? Unsecured cards don’t require a security deposit and often provide more benefits and perks than secured cards; secured cards are primarily a credit-building product.

If you want to build credit at college

We think you should consider a student credit card only if your main intention is to build credit. College is a great time for you to get your credit to a good place before you graduate into the real world. Employers, landlords, and lenders may all check your credit, so getting a credit card and building credit early can get you a headstart on adulting.

Extra credit: You might also find this article helpful

Learn how to get your first credit card, how old you need to be, and what options you have if your parents can help out (or if they can’t).

Our student-card picks don’t charge an annual fee and have a lot of helpful tools to ensure that you get educated about your credit scores. Primarily, there’s one question you should ask when you’re choosing a student card:

Will you use this card mostly in the US, or are you likely to travel or study overseas?

If you want to take advantage of a 0% APR offer

A 0% APR card can provide a cash cushion if you’d rather not dip into savings for a big expense, instead allowing you to repay your debt over time, interest-free (within a certain promotional period). The interest-free period on the best cards can last well over a year.

But before applying for a card with the intent of using a 0% APR offer, ask yourself:

Can you make (and stick to) a budget? Any unpaid balance after the promo period ends will incur interest, so we think it’s essential to have a payment plan in place. If you have trouble paying your credit card bills on time, it may be a sign that a 0% APR card isn’t for you.

Is your credit score at least good (a FICO score of 700-plus)? These cards can be tough to get approved for without good credit.

Will the promise of an interest-free loan tempt you to buy something you can’t pay off? If so, this card may end up hurting your financial situation more than it helps.

Do you want to pay down existing high-interest credit card debt? If so, check out balance-transfer cards instead; if you’re approved for one, you might be able to transfer credit card debt over to that new card, up to your new limit.

If you want a grocery rewards credit card

A grocery rewards card is a credit card that offers additional cash back on purchases you make at supermarkets or specific retailers that sell groceries. Here are some criteria to consider before you apply:

You spend at least $65 per week on groceries: If you don’t spend that much, you won’t generate a ton of value from any of our picks.

You’re willing to have multiple credit cards: Our picks are great for groceries but often not much else, so you probably want to have a general-spending card too. If you would rather have one truly great card for all purchases, read our cash-back credit cards guide.

You shop for groceries at supermarkets: These cards don’t work at big warehouses such as Costco, specialty retailers (such as butchers or cheese shops), or corner stores. If you want rewards for those purchases, you may be better off using a general cash-back card.

If you want to take advantage of a dining rewards credit card

If you want your spending on dining to pay off even a little—whether you lean towards fast food, a fine dining restaurant, bars, cafes, or a food delivery service—a dining rewards credit card can get you there. This probably isn’t your first (or only) card, as the best dining credit rewards typically require you to have a credit score that’s at least good (a FICO score of 700-plus) to get approved.

There are a handful of dining cards that have no annual fee, which we strongly prefer. But if the card does charge an annual fee, make sure you spend enough on dining to break even on the fee in rewards—and then some.

If you want a small-business credit card

We’re not in the business of recommending cards that won’t help you simplify, or enrich, your life. Most businesses are small businesses, and most of those are self-employed, sole proprietorships without employees.

A credit card only makes sense if you want to separate your business spending from personal accounts, while also having rewards that match your spending and access to a ready-made credit line in case you experience a tough month. (For the record, the same rules apply for business credit cards as consumer ones: try to pay off your bill in full each month.)

Our top two picks are $0 annual fee cards that offer decent cash-back rewards, a perk most small businesses strongly prefer. We also include a pick for travel rewards, but that should only be selected by those who are constantly in the air and want cheaper flights and hotel stays.

If you’re comfortable with your current credit card arrangement, no need to add a business card just because you have a business.